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The Anti-Aging Benefits of Yoga

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Anyone who has been practicing yoga for a time will agree; there’s a strong connection between your body and your mind. So, whenever your mind is under stress, your body reflects it in numerous ways; poor posture, low back pain and tense muscles, are just a few examples. It should then be no surprise, that people who are under a undue amounts of stress seem to age faster than those who have learned to manage it properly. Stress, along with gravity, of course, is what makes us age.

There are some basic attributes that characterize someone who’s vibrant and healthy; someone who appears to:

  • ■ Supple, radiant skin.
  • ■ Strong, lustrous, shiny healthy hair.
  • ■ Well defined muscles.
  • ■ Good posture and bone structure.
  • ■ Boundless energy.
  • ■ A light but firm and confident gait.
  • ■ A balanced attitude toward self, life and others
  • ■ A calm and peaceful demeanor

Believe it or not, you too can feel this way, and it has nothing to do with how old you are. Although not exactly magic or Ponce de Leon’s famed fountain of youth, yoga is a great age-defying stress reducer. If you practice yoga on a regular basis, you just may start to notice some awesome and welcome benefits. To begin your own personal anti-aging campaign, try practicing the following a few times per week:

*Keep Your Spine Flexible

Think of your spine like the foundational frame of a house that holds everything together. If that frame becomes dysfunctional, all sorts of problems will begin to manifest themselves.  A healthy spine assures your body maintains its structure, supports your head, your arms and legs, and provides a shock absorption system for all of your activities. In addition, it houses your central nervous system (spinal cord), the superhighway that connects your brain to the rest of your body. Considering all of the work it does, it’s no wonder your spine often gets tired on a daily basis. Even those who seem to have the best posture may find themselves slouching a bit at the end of a particularly stressful day. Become familiar with basic spinal anatomy, structure and function and that will help empower you to take control of your health. Give your spine some loving attention with asanas (yoga poses) that elongate, strengthen and stretch your spine and counteract any bad postural habits too. Alternating cat and cow pose is a great start. A spine that’s flexible will promote good balance and strength which will affect your overall health in a positive way, putting that youthful bounce back in your step.

*Relax and Release Your Muscle Tension

Common bodily aches and pains are often the result of tight or stressed muscles. Ranging from headaches to back problems and incorrect alignment, tight muscles can slowly leave you slouched or hunched over and limit your ability to perform activities that you love or need to do. Given enough time, range of motion will diminish and many of the daily activities you once performed with ease can become quite challenging. The three poses of Yoga for complete relaxation are Dradhasana (firm pose), Shavasana (corpse pose) and Adhvasana (relaxation pose).

Self-massage is another method you can use to improve circulation and warm up your muscles, this may encouraging them to release toxins that that may be at the root of your aches and pains. A general rule of thumb is to use light circular motion over joints and areas of pain and sweep with long strokes over areas such as the front of the thigh and arms always massaging towards the heart. Self-massage is especially useful to help you relax during the day, either at work or at home; even if you can only afford to spend a couple of minutes massaging your neck and shoulders. Your morning shower is a great time for self-massage because your skin and senses come alive in the steam of the warm water and self-massage relaxes your muscles, getting you ready to tackle the stresses of the day ahead.

*Breathe in Life’s Energy (Prana)

Breathing correctly oxygenates your body through your bloodstream, nourishing every single cell in your body. Breathing also functions as a purifier to help you cleanse your body of toxins acquired throughout the day. The breath (as prana) is life. Pranayama is both the extension and the control of breath, and indeed the most subtle energy of the body. Although there are many different schools and techniques for learning pranayama, the most basic approach is simple awareness of the breath. You will find that lying or sitting in a comfortable position and just watching your breath for a set period of time will reap powerful benefits. You’ll become more focused and relaxed. You can simply notice your breath dispassionately and without judgment or you can focus your breath on a particular area of your body and with each inhale you send the breath to that spot, extending love and compassion to that area that’s been “aching” for attention. With each exhale, you release, allowing the tension and pain to leave your body with each breath. Pranayama is a gift you give to yourself and it too keeps on giving.

*Meditate, Meditate And Meditate!

The Anti-Aging Benefits of YogaIf you’re looking for inner calm and a peaceful, more positive outlook on life, take a minute (or two – or ten) to bring your body, mind and senses into balance. Once you achieve this balance through meditation, your nervous system will find its sense of equilibrium and calm down, you’ll be less anxious and more open to gaining some powerful insights into your true nature (which is ageless). There are plenty of ways to meditate, so don’t be afraid to try, just find what works best for you and stick with it for a while. The process itself will show you the way. If you’re a beginner, just focus on your breath with no critique or judgment, and notice how it flows in and out of your lungs. If your mind begins to wander away from your breath, gently bring it back, remembering that the breath is the beginning and end of all life.

Conclusion: Yoga is rapidly catching on as one of the most efficient and effective forms of exercise for older people. Even when it’s compared to other Eastern forms of exercise, yoga is still regarded as the best by many who have practiced a variety of disciplines. Since antiquity many yogis have lived well into their nineties with full retention of all their functions and faculties and have even managed to astound the world over with their physical prowess, even at such an advanced age.

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Yoga

Boost Your Immunity with Yoga Practice

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There’s a good chance that you (like most people) spend a lot of your time around large groups of people; in the office, in class, shopping, etc. And, we all know that along with shared experiences and shared conversation come shared colds, viruses and flues. Perhaps you already do a lot of things to avoid catching them, e.g.; taking vitamin C, eating foods rich in immunity-boosting phyto-nutrients, trying to get enough sleep and washing your hands regularly. But, one approach to preventative health that you might not be taking full advantage of is regular yoga practice. Studies have shown excessive stress to be a key factor in lowering your resistance to any disease, from the common cold to life-threatening afflictions like cancer, heart disease and diabetes, to name a few. Yoga practice will tackle stress head-on by moving your mind and body away from a state of dis-ease into one of balance, ease and invigoration.

If you are a student of yoga or have even taken one class, you know from experience how much it can help you release tension and calm down. And, the feeling of peace that yoga produces does a lot more for your overall health than just to help you unwind. When your body is fully relaxed, your immune system can focus on fighting off only the particular infections and intruders that it needs to, rather than overreacting to your entire environment. Whenever you’re stressed out, your immune system will tend to lash out even at harmless irritants, making it more difficult to fight the actual bugs and germs that you’re exposed to.

A great example of just how powerful your body can be if it’s left to its own resources can be integrated into your practice by meditating on your body’s reaction to its environment. Inquire as to whether you feel hot or cold for instance, and make a mental note of how you’re registering those sensations. Do they seem pleasant, painful or are you able to simply observe them without judgment?

The next step would be to consider how to change that. Reactivity is major cause of stress, prompting you to feel as if things are happening to you, and that you’re just a helpless victim. You can change this by starting to practice thought patterns that move your mind away from a reactive position. For instance, if you feel cold, notice how consciously drawing breath fully into your body creates the sensation of warmth spreading throughout your cells. If you’re feeling too hot, curl you tongue and exhale through your mouth, feeling the heat dissipate as the warm air leaves your body. Each moment of your practice offers a new choice. By cultivating insightful understanding, rather than just reacting or judging, you’ll begin to learn to choose the most efficient, effective ways to fill that asana with precisely what is available to you in that given moment. So, instead of reacting and stressing out, you can then relax into each asana; opening new spaces in your body, encouraging better circulation and the absorption of prana, which aids your body in coming to its own defense, without interference.

Try the following asanas to ward off the sniffles and sneezes, build your immune system and improve your overall health:

  • *Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose): This asana releases tension from the shoulders and opens the chest to facilitate deep breathing, relieving congestion and helping to make you less vulnerable to germs. It is recommended you stay in this pose for one minute, then release slowly and repeat on the other side.
  • *Balasana (Child’s Pose): This is a basic restorative asana that is very effective at helping your body to relax, which powers up your immune system. Remain in this pose for at least 30 seconds up to a few minutes.
  • *Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): This gentle backward bend helps bring oxygen into your body, delivering it all the way down to the cellular level which greatly helps you fight off illness.  It’s best to stay in the asana for 15 to 30 seconds, then release.

Additional tips…

Practice regularly and stay on schedule. This may be easier if you join a yoga class where you have an encouraging instructor and the support of others. Working with your body’s biological clock (re-setting it as necessary) will help your immune system function optimally.

Cleanse your sinuses and nasal passages. Nasal irrigation using a saline wash (Neti pot) can help reduce your vulnerability to infections, colds and other upper respiratory problems. See this post for more, click on: Jala Neti – De-mystified…(Video).

Remember that your physical health is quite often a reflection of your mental state. Do your best not to get distracted by pressure. Resist overreacting to sensations or situations. And, don’t worry about anything you can’t fix! Most things you might view as “problems” are really challenges and/or suggestions; meant to help you discover new directions in your life.

Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 2 of 2)

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This article is a continuation of Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 1 of 2)

Turn those Ouches into Oms – Some practical suggestions for safe yoga practice.

Proper alignment when doing asanas (poses) is key to preventing injuries, but it’s not the only factor in a safe yoga practice. To minimize concerns over injury, follow the basic recommended guidelines below.

  • 1. Leave your ego at the door. It’s often tempting to push yourself into more advanced poses (after all, how tough can a handstand be, right?), but rushing our bodies before they’re ready greatly increases our risk for injury. Yoga is about finding out where you are at, not trying to push yourself to in order to appear better than you really are. Yoga class is not a competition.
  • 2. Always take time to warm up. This is an important part of any physical activity, sport or exercise program, and yoga is no exception. Basic, simple stretches (like neck and shoulder rolls and gentle spinal twists) help prepare the muscles, joints and connective tissue for more challenging poses later on in a sequence when actual practice begins. Remember, your mind needs to warm up too; take a few slow, deep breaths to get centered at the beginning of class, it’s also good to chant some Oms to get yourself grounded.
  • 3. Ease in slowly. No one should expect to finish a marathon the first time they put on a pair of running shoes. Don’t expect to do a perfect headstand or even get your heels all the way down to the floor in the downward dog pose the first time you attend a class. Instead, opt for beginner-friendly classes or a qualified teacher who will help you develop the foundational skills for more advanced postures and moves.
  • 4. Communicate Honestly. Don’t just get to know your teacher, let them get to know you also. Be sure to share any pre-existing conditions or issues that might require modifications in certain asanas. A qualified instructor will be glad to show you how to modify poses or use props, so never be afraid to ask.
  • 5. Come out of static postures slowly. This is particularly important if you’ve been holding a certain pose for several minutes. A good rule of thumb is to work your way out of a pose as gradually and slowly as you moved into it.
  • 6. Use the props and modifications recommended by your teacher. There’s no shame in not being able to hold a pose or move all the way into it completely onyour own. Whenever there’s tightness anywhere in the body, other parts of the body will have to adjust to accommodate it. This is why it’s so important not to push the body past what it’s able to do in any given pose.  Props and modifications allow the body to get a feel for a pose without being able to get fully into it and this will help you to gradually work up to its full extension or variation without undue risk of injury.
  • 7. Don’t ever lock your joints. Hyper-extension (joint-locking) is probably the fastest way to wear out joints and cause injury or problems down the road. Focus instead on engaging the muscles, tendons and connective tissue around the joints, this helps you to gain stability.
  • 8. If you feel you’re hurt or injured, Stop. If you think you’ve tweaked, pulled, or torn something during a yoga session, tell your teacher immediately and, if need be, don’t be afraid to leave the class early. Care for it like any other sports injury, and seek the advice of a trusted health care professional if the pain or condition persists.
  • 9. Stay for savasana (corpse pose). Students are sometimes tempted to head for the door as soon as the instructor calls for savasana (the final resting pose usually at the end of a yoga session), remember it’s not only good for your health, it’s necessary for your composure. Savasana allows the body’s nervous system to slow down and readjust, bringing closure to the practice. Just two or three minutes in this asana can have a beneficial effect.
  • 10.Listen to your body. This may be the most important tip of all for avoiding injury. At all stages (or levels) of yoga practice, remain mindful. By really listening to your body you can be sensitive to any tightness, stress or strain. Simply because you did a particular pose with ease one day, doesn’t mean your body will automatically be able to do it the next. Build your relationship with your body just like you would with other people, by listening and being attentive.

Always remain mindful of your body, respect yourself and where you’re at on each and every day. Your body changes quite often and your yoga practice should accommodate those changes, adjusting itself accordingly.

Closing Notes:

Make sure you do your homework before joining a class or choosing a teacher. As yoga’s popularity continues to grow, more and more students are flocking to classes, increasing the need for skilled yoga instructors. Inexperienced or poorly trained yoga teachers often unintentionally cause harm or injury by teaching above their own training and/or ability levels. Well-trained certified instructors have a thorough knowledge of anatomy, human movement and the physiology of exercise. A basic understanding of the ideology, philosophy and history of yoga is essential. Teachers who focus on specialties such as seniors, kids, yoga therapy or pre-natal yoga, requires that they have additional training above the foundational level.

Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 1 of 2)

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Well over 20 million people are currently downward-dogging it across the entire U.S. in an attempt to gain the many health benefits associated with yoga. To name a few of these benefits from yoga practice:

  • *Increased strength
  • *Improved flexibility.
  • *Reduced tension, anxiety, and stress.
  • *Lower blood pressure

Scientific studies have also shown that yoga can improve respiration, heart rate, and metabolism plus it helps reduce pain. In spite of all the benefits this doesn’t mean that yoga, if and when performed incorrectly, can’t also cause injury or harm.

Addressing Common Yoga Injuries (Pt. 1 of 2)

Although most injuries resulting from yoga practice aren’t severe and often go unreported, more serious issues can and do occur occasionally. This includes strains and sprains, fractures, dislocations, and, in rare cases, bone spurs, sciatic nerve problems, and even stroke. But according to yoga trainers, fitness instructors, personal trainers and other  experts, injuries can happen at any time, in any sport or exercise regime, even walking down the sidewalk, although debilitating and life threatening injuries are extremely rare.

With yoga practice, most common injuries develop gradually over years, and are generally a result of consistent over-stretching and/or misalignment. When engaging any physical activity, the safest approach to stay in touch with your body to avoid overdoing it. And with yoga, proper guidance and instruction is necessary to learn how to practice the asanas (poses) correctly and safely.

Areas of most concern when practicing yoga asana…

Wrists: Leverage is all important when it comes to the wrists. Don’t place all of the body’s weight on the wrists when the hands are on the mat as that can lead to both muscle and joint injuries. When practicing any asana where weight is placed on the hands (e.g.; downward dog, cat/cow), distribute the body’s weight through both your hands by spreading them so that they are in line with the shoulders and then press through the fingers. In downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), push the hips back to decrease the angle of the wrists to the floor slightly. In arm balances, such as crow pose (Kakasana), check to make sure your elbows are stacked directly over the wrists.

Elbows: Joint pain in the elbows can result from bending them out to the sides in asanas like the four limbed staff pose (Chaturanga). Because it’s easier to execute some students tend to lower themselves down with outward-pointing elbowsand this will stress the joint (plus it puts undue stresses on the wrists). When bending the elbows in asana (especially plank or Chaturanga), keep the elbows tucked in alongside the ribs as you bend them, and make sure the elbows’ creases remain  facing forward.

Shoulders: Resist the temptation to shrug. By raising the shoulders up toward the ears (e.g; moving into upward dog), you’ll stop using the supporting muscles in your arms, shoulders, and neck. Shrugging also compresses the shoulders, which can also cause muscle injuries. Beware of over-extending or over-stretching it’s relatively easy to injure the shoulder girdle or rotator cuff (even dislocate the joint). Focus on keeping the shoulders held back and down away from the ears.

Ribs: Twists work great for releasing tension, but if done improperly they can easily be overextended and bruise the intercostals (the muscles in between the ribs). Lengthen your torso upwards through the spine before and during twisting. Imagine a cord attached to the crown of your head that is gently pulling you up toward the celestial space. No matter how flexible you feel you are, twist only to the point of feeling the stretch but not beyond it.

Lower back: Lower back pain is the most frequently reported yoga injury, and most certified teachers suspect that it’s the result of “rounding through the spine” in poses like forward folds and downward dog. This unnatural rounding causes the spine to bend the opposite way that it’s meant to, which can lead disc problems. This can also be the cause of that achy feeling post-session. Before engaging any bending poses, imagine lengthening your spine up and away from the hips, this will help to avoid rounding. If your hamstrings are too tight, try bending the knees slightly in poses like forward folds and downward dog.

Hamstrings: As a result of spending too much time sitting in front of the computer, in class, or driving a car, many of us have tight hamstrings, so it’s easy to pull or over-stretch them in poses like forward bends. Downward dog and lunges are great ways to stretch the hamstrings (just remember to go slowly, work at your own pace and don’t overdo it). If you have any kind of hamstring injury, temporarily lay off poses that extend through the back of the body and legs until the injury heals.

Hips: When practicing warrior poses, splits and wide-legged forward folds it’s easy to over-extend the hips’ range of motion in, which in some cases might even tear the muscles of the inner groin or inner thighs. Proper form insures that the toes are pointed forward when attempting any pose where the hips are squared off in the same direction (envision warrior I).

Knees: Knee problems can plague both students and even experienced yogis well after the session is over. The most common causes of knee pain are the cross-legged positions (Padmasana and Sukhasana, Flexibility needs to begin with the hips first; if the hips are tight in asana, the knees will be the first to feel pain or tension. Placing a yoga block or rolled-up blanket under the knees in cross-legged positions generally helps to reduce strain.

Neck: Head stands (Sirsasana) and shoulder stands (Sarvangasana) can be the worst culprits for neck pain or injury. Repeatedly and/or incorrectly placing pressure on the neck in poses such as shoulder stand and headstand can compress the neck and put undue pressure on the cervical vertebrae, resulting in joint issues and a loss of neck flexion in some cases. It would be best to avoid full inversions altogether if you have chronic neck or shoulder issues. It is very important to remember not to jerk the head once you’re up in the pose, because it can destabilize the body and cause a fall.

*Stay tuned for part 2 where some practical guidelines to avoid injury will be discussed.

Yoga Asana, Emotions & Our Internal Organs…

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Are you, like many other people, under the impression that the benefits of yoga asana are limited to affecting mostly the muscles and joints? If so, you need to realize also that each and every pose has a specific effect on one or more of the internal organs. Yoga, like in traditional Chinese medicine, recognizes that emotions and physical health are intimately connected. And, most emotions have a specific attraction to particular organs.

Examples include:

  • *Fear can damage the kidneys and bladder.
  • *Anger can injure the liver and gall bladder.
  • *Grief and depression can harm the lungs.
  • *Worry and anxiety can afflict the spleen and stomach.
  • *Sadness negatively affects the brain.
  • *Joy (although positive), when in excess may wound the heart.

On the other hand, yoga recognizes that balanced feelings and equilibrium in the emotions will cause the body and its organ systems to work more efficiently.

There are asanas (poses) which affect the emotions in yoga, just as much as they affect the muscles and joints. For example, when practicing Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog), the shoulders, the spine, hamstrings, feet, and the Achilles tendons are deeply stretched, but this asana can also be used to decrease feelings of depression and anxiety. Simple postures such as cat-cow stretch with synchronized breathing can reduce fear. Suptaikapadaparivrttasana (supine twist) is an excellent posture for relieving back pain, but it is also an excellent pose for increasing our acceptance of life’s stresses plus it can eliminate feelings of being worried or overwhelmed.

One of the basic precepts in yoga is the need to approach our practice from where we are at, which means we can’t expect to jump right into an advanced asana. Some students come to yoga with chronically tight muscles, and the purpose of a sustained and regular yoga practice is to gradually and systematically relax the built up tension in the body, and at the same time release the emotions that are “bound up” within the body and that are responsible for this tension. As soon as we begin to let go of the stress “locked” within our bodies, emotions will likely arise. Ideally, we will simply observe these emotions without any judgment. Chances are, we may not even remember what prompted us to start holding these stresses within our bodies in the first place. This is why letting go of any further analysis of these feelings is of utmost importance. By just allowing the emotions to arise, they will pass naturally, like clouds in the sky.

Since each of us will probably have our own individual experience of asana practice, we can easily see how each of us may be affected differently, depending on what part of our bodies we store stress. According to yogic science, we have the ability to see the emotional body as its own kosha (sheath or layer). The Manomaya kosha (aka; the astral or the mind/emotional body) houses all our emotions. Whenever the emotions get stuck in this sheath they can cause energy to become trapped in the physical body, and oftentimes in the internal organs. While some people may manifest anxiety in the lungs (e.g., narrowing of the bronchial passages or shortness of breath) others might experience that same stress in their digestive organs (e.g., have a hard time digesting their feelings as in “I can’t stomach this” which may result in ulcers or IBS).

It is common for a feeling which was once previously unconscious (or subconscious) to the student to be triggered while practicing asana. Asanas function as a means to open energy gateways in much the same manner that reflexology or acupuncture points would. Quite often, a student will feel that their asana practice is affected by something that is currently happening in their life, when actually they are releasing emotions that were stored a long time ago. It is not necessary for us to intellectually “figure them out.” We can let the intelligence of the body do what it was meant to do to release our samskaras (impressions).

Although every student’s experience of yoga asana is different, some of the common emotions that may arise in varying poses are:

  • *Forward bends – These poses can unleash a host of egocentric feelings and attitudes. They may force us to face our fears as we turn our attention inward. Our tendency may be to turn around in the world, to look back at what is behind us. For some there may be a constant fear of attack from behind and this leads to tightness in the back which a forward bend works well to loosen. We have to surrender these fears if we are to relax in these asanas.
  • *Backward bends – These poses are useful when dealing with our attitudes of embracing all of life; of being completely open to receive “the good, bad and the ugly,” rising up to meet life’s various challenges. When practicing backward bends, we may have to deal with the possible emotions of feeling like a doormat to others (literally bending over backward to please them), we may be confronted with letting go of co-dependent patterns and improving our own self-esteem without unnecessarily relying on others to provide us with a positive self image. Backbends commonly bring up fears associated to these emotional patterns. On another level, one who has repeatedly had their heart broken or is very shy may typically hunch their shoulders, sometimes even covering their heart, particularly those who may have been teased in school or at an early age. Backward bends can be very confronting, but they can also help to change and remold the personality along with the conditionings of the mind.
  • *Balancing asanas – These poses are extremely powerful indicators of a student’s emotional state. Someone who feels un-easy emotionally, or whose mind is preoccupied with too many emotions, will find balancing poses very difficult. As they find a sense of balance in these poses, those emotions that are causing the mind to become agitated may temporarily increase before subsiding to a more peaceful place. With proper instruction and practice balancing poses will help to build a calm, resilient, steady mind.
  • *Twisting asanas – As you may have guessed, these poses have to do with untangling the “knots” of life. All twisting asanas initiate feelings of dealing with obstacles we face, and can enable us to develop the necessary strength to face whatever comes our way. Twists, along with backbends give us more confidence through regular, sustained practice, and help develop courage for those with overly introverted personalities.
  • *Inverted asanas – When we practice these poses, we are literally turning our world on its head; changing our perspective totally by turning our behavioral patterns upside down. Inversions help us to see ourselves and our world from a different point of view. It’s easy to imagine all the emotions that can arise from turning your whole perspective around. Inversions help to purify the mind when our worldview feels shaken, bringing greater peace and calmness.

In addition to the asanas outlined above, here are some specific poses that can be helpful in the release and removal of negative feelings and/or emotions…

  • *To increase your energy and give the courage to face life’s challenges – Surya namaskar (sun salutation), Bhujangasan (cobra), Dhanurasan (bow), and Veerasan (warrior).
  • *For calming the mind, releasing anger and surrendering the ego – Vajrasan yogamudra (childs pose), Paschimottanasan (forward bend), Karnapeedanasan (folding leg plough), Viparit karni (inverted pose).
  • *To release pent up emotions (when you feel like screaming) – Simhasan (roaring lions pose)
  • *To bring calmness, acceptance and relief from anxiety – Restorative poses such as Uttanpadasan (legs up the wall), Tadagasan (pond pose), Supta vajrasan (sleeping thunderbolt) Sputa baddha konasan (sleeping bound angle pose) and Koormasan (tortoise).

In conclusion, not all students of yoga will have emotions coming up and for many practitioners, they experience primarily positive emotions when practicing asanas, and this is both natural and normal. It doesn’t signify that one isn’t progressing or dealing with the self. We all have different ways of managing the mind, so we should continually remind ourselves that yoga is the practice of balancing the body, mind, emotions and spirit to bring unity, harmony, contentment and finally, bliss.

Yoga, Emotions & Our Internal Organs...

standing forward fold (Uttanasana)

Jala Neti – De-mystified…(Video)

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Millions of people today suffer from sinus infections or nasal congestion of some sort. The overuse of antibiotic and prescription drugs has led to many of them becoming increasingly resistant to the drugs, but there is help available through these unique methods of sinus irrigation.

These simple, natural (and inexpensive) techniques of the saline sinus flush originate from within the system of Yoga. Descriptive references of two sinus cleansing kriyas; Sutra Neti (an advanced nasal string cleansing technique) and Jala Neti are found in the Gherenda Samhita, a classic Yoga text dating from the late 1600s or early 1700s. Before this period of time yoga was an oral tradition, so it’s unknown just how old these techniques really are. Sutra Neti will not be dealt with in this article, instead alternative methods of Jala Neti will be discussed.

Modern Jala Neti is most commonly performed by using a neti pot; although syringes, bulbs or even “hydro-pulse” devices are sometimes used and may be effective.

Jala Neti, flushing the sinuses with liquid, is easy to do at home and elsewhere. Traditionally performed with only a cupped hand of salt water and a sniffing action, the technique has evolved for comfort and efficiency.

How to properly do Jala Neti:

The ancient and traditional method of Jala Neti requires no cup, no pot, no catheter or any other fancy equipment. This can be done almost anywhere at almost any time without the need to be bringing anything with you. Your hand and some salt water is all that is required. It’s simple to do, and with this method the mechanical force generated by the gentle sucking action will likely lead to a more thorough cleansing of the nasal mucosa than the passive stream of water dispensed by a neti pot.

Directions for the traditional method: Simply mix up some saline solution by dissolving ½ teaspoon of sea salt or kosher salt into 250 ml of tap water (about one cup) which has been warmed to body temperature or slightly warmer, then pour the solution into your cupped hand until it’s full. Over a sink or basin, lower your nose into the water in your hand and suck it up and in, trying to pull as much of the liquid in as possible, letting it drain back out of your nostrils or out your mouth. If you swallow a bit of the salt water it’s okay, but not a great idea.

If you find it’s hard to do this with your hand then you can use a cup or bowl with good results. Place the salted water in a cup or bowl that’s big enough to get your nose into. Experiment to find the most comfortable size for you and then, as before, position yourself over a sink or basin, and adjust the bowl and the angle of your head until you manage to get your both your nostrils under water.  You can plug one nostril with your fingers, and inhale with the other or do both simultaneously. The basic idea is to “snort” as much of the salt water solution up your nose as you can. You’ll know you’re doing it right when you taste the salt water at the back of your mouth. Then let go of your nostril and allow the water, mucous, dust and other debris drain out into the sink. If you’re doing one nostril at a time, change sides and repeat.

If “snorting” the salt water up your nose seems a bit difficult for you, you can try the gentler neti pot technique.

If you choose to use a Neti Pot…

Neti pots usually come with an insert that explains how to use them. But anyway here’s the basic idea…Mix the saline solution (as described above) and put it into a commercial neti pot (preferably one with smooth nose tips for sealing the nostril). Then place the spout of the neti pot snuggly into one nostril. Lean over the sink, tilting your head to the other side (at about a 45-degree angle) and bend slightly forward. Tilting the neti pot up, gently pour the saline solution into that nostril. The saline solution should drain from the higher nasal passage to the lower one, coming back out that lower nostril, or sometimes out of the mouth. If it runs into your mouth or throat, just spit it out.

Once you’ve filled the Neti pot, tilt your head over the sink at about a 45-degree angle. Place the spout into your top nostril, and gently pour the saline solution into that nostril.

Next, softly blow your nose (or follow the “drying” instructions in the video that follows) to get rid of any remaining liquid, then refill the Neti pot and repeat the process on the other side. It’s important to rinse the irrigation device after each use and leave open to air dry.

Video demonstration of Neti Pot use…

How and Why Jala Neti Works:

Many people either don’t understand, or have a hard time believing how something as simple and inexpensive as Jala Neti can be effective. Scientistific research studies have shown conclusive results that support the use of Jala Neti as an effective cleansing and healing measure. This is what they’ve found…

  • *Jala Neti mechanically flushes out mucous containing bacteria, viruses, dust, and allergens.
  • *Jala Neti thins any remaining mucus so that sinuses and their ostia (tiny openings) don’t clog, which leads to pressure (often painful) and infection.
  • *Jala Neti reduces the swelling of the nasal mucosa for relief of congestion and “stuffiness”.
  • *Jala Neti flushes out histamine, leukotrienes, and other naturally occurring chemical substances that provoke inflammation and cause discomfort.
  • *Regular practice of Jala Neti increases the frequency that cilia (tiny hair-like structures) “beat” (in rhythmic waves) to remove mucus, crusty deposits of snot, and other debris.

More and more medical guidelines used in both the United States and Canada are now recommending nasal and sinus saline irrigation for a variety of conditions. It’s an effective and well-tolerated form of treatment for sinus congestion and nasal drip due to the common cold, allergies, and sinusitis. When using this natural method of healing, most people have found they need less medication (or none) to control their symptoms. Many are able to abandon pills and steroid sprays completely.

Above and beyond alleviating the symptoms of sinus congestion and stuffiness, Jala Neti is a great daily kriya that also functions as a preventative, working to halt their occurrence. It’s one of Yoga’s many great contributions to holistic healing and overall health maintenance.

The Basic Mechanisms of Yogic Breathing

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There are two main ways in which most people breathe: Chest (or thoracic) breathing and abdominal (or diaphragmatic) breathing. Thoracic breathing is very common in modern people. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that more than 50% of adults are predominantly chest breathers and more than 90% of sick people are upper chest breathers.

Chest (thoracic) breathing negatively affects health in three fundamental ways that promote chronic illness…

  • 1. Reduces blood oxygenation.
  • 2. Indicates hyperventilation and low oxygen delivery at the cellular level.
  • 3. Causes lymphatic stagnation.

Chest breathers virtually always have deep breathing (large breaths) at rest or sleep and suffer from hyperventilation (breathing more than normal). Contrary to popular belief, when we breathe more air, we get less oxygen in body cells. In fact, the slower your automatic breathing pattern at rest (as low as 3 breaths/min), the larger the amount of oxygen delivered to cells.

We need to be reminded that healthy, normal breathing is abdominal (diaphragmatic).

The diaphragm is the main muscle of inspiration (inhalation) in the respiration (breathing) mechanism. During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and descends, along with other muscles, thus expanding the thorax, allowing the lungs to fill with air. Expiration (exhalation) requires the reverse of this process. In Pranayama (yogic breathing) the accessory muscles of expiration also contract to help force air out of the lungs more efficiently.

These accessory muscles come into use for whenever extra effort is required, but ordinarily they are only used in emergency breathing or any situation that is perceived as physically stressful or demanding by the individual, including heavy exercise. In this way, deliberate diaphragmatic breathing, focusing on long deep inhalation and exhalation, pranayama becomes a means of assuring all the accessory muscles of breathing are well exercised so that one has a “well oiled” breathing apparatus for an increasingly productive pranayama practice.

It is not be surprising for these muscles to be hypertonic (a pathology indicating extreme muscular tension) in new students of pranayama, especially if they have lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle. A good yoga instructor will work with these individuals to increase their range of movements in these restricted areas. This can even be achieved by direct work on the muscles, such as cross-fiber soft tissue massage which will not only decrease the tension in the accessory muscles, allowing more freedom and less restriction of the diaphragm, but can also work to improve postural alignment during asana practice. Additionally this can have a considerable effect on the student’s general sense of well-being, particularly on a psychological level.

Soft abdominal breathing requires minimal diaphragmatic movement. Deliberate soft abdominal breathing as in the “Relaxation Pose” (Shavasana – aka: Corpse Pose) has a “grounding” effect and can be very relaxing for the mind and the body. Soft abdominal breathing is gentle and can only occur when the diaphragm is supple and the mind and body are relaxed so it’s a great way to end your yoga session. In order to experience this, lie still in the Shavasana and continue to relax the entire body. Whenever mind tends to wander, bring it back to the body and scan the body for any tension. Continue deepening the relaxation of all the muscles in the body. Now bring passive and gentle focus on your breath. Breath should be getting softer, smoother and more subtle at this point. Let it continue to become even more subtle. It is good to watch for the pause between exhalation and your next inhalation to become longer and longer. The diaphragm has to do very little work at this point which deepens the relaxation further. This whole process takes time and for a person with average relaxation skills, it may take 10 to 15 minutes in Shavasana to be able to reach the state when soft abdominal breathing is occurring naturally. It is good to let the diaphragm have the opportunity to “rest” since it has been working hard. Soft abdominal breathing has tremendous benefits for both the mind and the body.

In closing: There are many different approaches to pranayama and some schools of yoga immediately introduce quite forceful and/or complex pranayama techniques, like the “breath of fire.” Other schools incorporate pranayama techniques into asana practice from the very beginning. But according to Iyengar Yoga, pranayama is taught very slowly and carefully, and at first, as a separate practice from asana.

Certified yoga teachers will be able to implement various modifications and adaptations to better serve the specific needs of each individual, tailoring both their pranayama and their asana practice.

Of related interest: An Anatomical Analysis of Yogic Breathing

An Anatomical Analysis of Yogic Breathing

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Most yoga students wonder how a true yogi breathes. Traditional yogic literature claims yogic breathing is the secret to both longevity and a clear mind. The author of Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Swami Svatmarama) states that “When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.” But long life is not the only reason a yogi or student of yoga practices pranayama (yogic breathing), albeit the physical benefits are great. Breathing is not only an important part of our entire mental, physical and emotional wellbeing; it is also recognized as a way to accelerate spiritual progress. By learning more about breathing by looking at it from an anatomical perspective, we can understand more fully how and why a yogi can achieve long life and at the same time balance all of these aspects of the self.

We can begin this analysis or anatomical study by examining the main organs involved in breathing. Starting with the lungs; the lungs’ principal responsibility is transporting oxygen from the atmosphere into our bloodstream and then to release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, again through our bloodstream. In a normal breath, the average person can introduce approximately six liters of air in their lungs. It is interesting to note that those born and raised at sea level develop slightly less lung capacity than those born in higher altitudes where the air is thin. Air enters our lungs through passages called the bronchi and branchioles, and it is there that the exchange of gases begins. These exchanges in the lungs take place across the membranes of small balloon-like structures called alveoli (a collection of millions of specialized cells, which form tiny air sacs). The alveoli are connected to arteries that then bring oxygen into the bloodstream.

The secondary, but an equally important organ necessary for this gas exchange to occur in the lungs is the thoracic diaphragm. This dome-shaped sheet of muscle extends from just below the bottom of the rib cage and separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. Its primary function is to help pull air into and out of the lungs by its musculature movement; it is also involved in other functions such as excretion of mucous and vomiting. When breathing, as it lifts, air is pushed out of the lungs and as it lowers, the lungs are able to take air in. The lungs do not perform this function on their own. With proper use of the diaphragm, much greater quantities of air can be circulated through the lungs for optimal oxygenation of the blood.

During a normal day, most of us breathe in a relatively shallow manner. We may only consume enough oxygen for our bodies to continue to function. But when we engage in pranayama we are able to increase our lung capacity. By increasing the lung capacity we are making the system more efficient.

Lung capacity can be measured as “tidal volume” or “vital capacity.” Tidal volume is the amount of air that is inhaled or exhaled with each breath under resting conditions; for most adults, this is about ½ liter. But we actually have the capacity for much more; with practice (and proper instruction), we can learn to inhale as much as ten times that amount in a single breath. When we exhale, not all of the air is completely released or the lungs would collapse. For this reason our bodies’ inherent intelligence keeps some air in the lungs at all times. Vital capacity is the term used to describe the maximum amount of air that can be forcibly expelled from the lungs after breathing in as deeply as possible. This capacity is usually measured during heavy exercise, when the lungs are working at their peak levels. Tidal capacity minus vital capacity is basically the amount of air left over in the lungs after we have exhaled completely.

Many types of pranayama aim at not only exponentially increasing the tidal volume (inhalation), but also the vital capacity (exhalation). We can exhale much more than we normally do in a relaxed breath also. As we learn to exhale more, the subsequent inhale is automatically much larger, because the autonomic nervous system works on “auto-pilot” maintaining homeostasis (the tendency of the body to maintain internal stability). Thus, breathing may be completely automatic in this way; but with pranayama we can make it more conscious in order to greatly increase the efficiency of our lungs.

The pathway air follows is also important. When we take in air, it must first journey through the nostrils and the nose must be clear to allow the maximum amount of air to enter the respiratory freeway. Yogic practices such as jala neti flush the nasal passages with clean, salted water, helping to rid the nasal passages of dust and congestion. So the importance of making sure this initial pathway is as clear as possible is obvious. Nasal/sinus irrigation is not the only way to cleanse the nostrils, but it is much less invasive then other methods and much better for us than prescription or over the counter drugs which claim to be accomplishing the same thing.

In summary: It is always important to make sure that the air we are taking in is as pure as possible and practical. By spending as much time as you can outdoors in richly oxygenated environments the natural process of plant photosynthesis makes the air oxygen-rich. In earlier times, doctors often instructed their patients to spend time more time outdoors, which essentially just gave them a cleaner, fresher air supply, oftentimes resulting in a seemingly miraculous improvement in their health.

Breathing normally is a simple, automatic act, but when we better understand the body and take steps to highly refine this natural process, we can improve our health, our sense of wellbeing and give a boost to our ultimate spiritual journey. Prana is stored in every breath we take in, and when we add more of this invaluable life-force to our bodies through pranayama, we learn to breathe in a manner which attunes us to the dynamic energies continually unfolding as our hidden potential.

Of related interest, click on: Basic Mechanisms of Yogic Breathing

Asana – Protect Your Joints with Proper Alignment

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One of the most important responsibilities of a yoga teacher is to help their students get back in touch with their bodies. As we grow older, most of us gradually “grow out” of our bodies, often decreasing our ability to understand how our bodies really function, and then we tend to miss or ignore the built-in signs and/or warnings that can alert us to any current or potential future problems with our joints and connective tissue. By re-learning (or even learning for the first time) about the basic structures and functions of your body, with the help of your yoga instructor, your practice becomes a great starting point for getting back in tune, avoiding complications or problems.

Learning how to protect and care for your joints, tendons and connective tissues (knees, elbows, hips, etc.) during yoga, – is one of the most important step to help ensure you have a lifetime of safe and rewarding asana practices.

Your feet are the foundation…

When practicing yoga, start with your foundation, your base (the feet), and then build from there. If the feet aren’t properly aligned, then it’s likely that the rest of the body, starting with the knees is also misaligned.

A good place to start is by looking at your body in Tadasana (Standing or Mountain Pose). When you stand in Tadasana, look down at your feet. Some of us stand with our toes pointed out (outtoeing), or our toes pointed in (intoeing or “pigeon toed”). In yoga, it’s important that your feet to are parallel.

Next, notice how your weight is distributed on your feet. Do you tend to put more weight on the balls of your feet or do you tend to lean back with more weight on your heels? Check a pair of shoes that you’ve worn for a few years, you’ll get a good idea where you place most of your weight on your feet.

During yoga practice, you are encouraged to distribute your weight onto the “four corners of your feet;” this includes the inner and outer heel, and the ball (both the big toe and the pinky toe side of the feet). It is good for students to practice lifting their toes, spreading them out and then lower each toe, one by one, back down to the floor or the mat.

Now take a quick look at your knees. It’s common for students to lock their knees when they come up into Tadasana or the half-lift from forward fold and quite often they don’t realize it’s happening. Locking or hyper-extending the knees are hard on them and will tend to cause pronation or supination in the feet (see illustration above). Be aware of that habit and correct it by micro-bending the knees.

The Warrior Poses

Asana - Protect Your Joints with Proper Alignment

Warrior I

The Warrior poses are an awesome way to help you learn the basics of protecting your knees throughout your yoga practice. Starting with Warrior I and II, it is necessary for you to watch the alignment of your feet, the distribution of your weight on your feet, as well as well as the alignment of your knees. You also want to make sure you stand tall in the torso, drawing the belly/core up and in for support; avoiding leaning the torso forward.

Make sure you check the position of your feet. For example, while in Warrior II, look at your feet. Your front heel and back heel should align or your front heel may line up with the arch of the back foot. As far as the set distance between your feet, find what is most comfortable but make sure that your front (bent) knee stays above or slightly behind the front ankle.  Essentially your feet should end up below your wrists.

Asana - Protect Your Joints with Proper Alignment

Warrior II

Next, press into the big toe and pinky toe sides of the front foot, as well as into the outer edge of the back foot as you simultaneously lift up through the arches of both feet. At this point it’s important to engage the inner thigh muscle (the vastus medialis) of your front leg along with the other quadriceps muscles so that you properly align the knee. Pressing down into the big toe as you lift up through the arch of the front foot helps engage these muscles.

Keep a close check on your knees to ensure that your front knee always stays above or slightly behind the front ankle. If the knee drifts or creeps forward in front of the ankle, this will generally cause strain to the area.

You can protect your knees and strengthen the vastus medialis by following three basic rules for the warrior poses.

  • 1. Make sure your knee is bent properly to a right angle, so the weight is centered in your heel. If your toes are gripping, it’s a sign that your knee is going too far beyond your heel.
  • 2. Don’t let the inner arch of your foot collapse, for this is a sign that your knee is turning inward too much. (These two actions—grounding and lifting—will keep the knee from turning inward or outward too much.)
  • 3. Make sure that the heel, kneecap, and hip joint of your bent leg are in the same plane by allowing a slight turn of the hips.

With appropriate instruction from a certified yoga teacher you will soon become aware that there are many details to learn in terms of proper alignment and form in yoga. These principles are not to make your sessions burdensome, but rather, they are there to ensure that your practice supports and strengthens your body for many years to come. So, with a “certified” yoga teacher you can rest assured that he/she fully understands anatomy, kinesiology and proper alignment, and that they are qualified to teach you and help you practice safely every time you roll out your mat!

Yoga – as a Solution for Sleep Disorders

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According to the National Sleep Foundation 65% of all Americans suffer from a lack of sleep or have trouble getting sufficient sleep on a daily basis. Additionally, more than 40% of adults experience daytime sleepiness that is severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month, and more than 20 percent report problematic sleepiness a few days a week or more.

Sleep is a basic and vital biological function. It is essential for a person to maintain their physical and emotional well being. Scientific studies have shown that with a lack of sleep, a person’s ability to perform even the simplest tasks declines dramatically.

It is common for the sleep-deprived individual to experience impaired performance, irritability, lack of concentration, and daytime drowsiness. They are less alert, attentive, and find it difficult to concentrate effectively. Also, since sleep has been linked to restorative processes in the immune system, sleep deprivation in a normal adult causes a biological response similar to the body fighting off an infection.

When sleep deprivation becomes regular or persistent it can cause significant mood swings, erratic behavior, hallucinations, and in the most extreme (although rare) cases, death. Research in this area is continuing as scientists examine the negative effects of sleep deprivation on the immune system.

The amount of sleep a person generally needs depends on a variety of factors, including age. For example:

  • *Infants require about 16 hours a day.
  • *Teenagers need about 9 hours on average.
  • *Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or up to as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.
  • *Women in the first 3 months of pregnancy typically need several more hours of sleep than usual.

The most common treatment plans for sleep disorders include drugs, with a variety of prescription and non-prescription sleeping aids available. Going to a sleep clinic and/or engaging in behavioral therapy has also been proven to help. But there are other, more natural options and yoga practice includes a number of them, such as…

  • *Remembering or reconnecting with the natural, outside world. “Smriti” is the practice of mindfulness of inner processes (witnessing) and is especially helpful when done outside during the day. Not just outside surrounded by concrete and steel, but somewhere where “green” predominates; where you’ll find lawn, trees, flowers, bushes, shrubs etc. Mindfully stand in that space and breathe it in. Study after study has shown that immersion in nature soothes us. Additionally, just getting outside, and noticing the earth, helps to remind us that our ego/self is a tiny part of this great big universe. Reconnect with this feeling at bedtime.
  • *Power yoga, hot yoga, Kundalini yoga, even a strong, dynamic Hatha yoga class will burn the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. The general consensus is that these hormones actually remain in our system long after a stressful experience has passed, or they may even be released every time our minds re-live past stresses. But everyone agrees that exercise (especially yoga) and meditation helps relieve them.
  • *Noticing your restless mind. Yogic philosophy (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras) encourages us to use our mind as a tool, rather than consider it our master. We start by viewing our thoughts, no matter what they are, as just thoughts passing by; similar to clouds in the sky. Sometimes seeing our thoughts in this manner, no matter how urgent our incessantly active mind wants us to believe they are, helps us find distance between our inherent, peace-full, joy-full selves, and our constantly chattering mind. Try using the simple mantra: “I Notice my thoughts” while inhaling, and “I’m Letting them go” during exhalation.
  • *Melting into your own asana. Try taking a 15-minute Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose) within an hour before going to bed. You can cover yourself with a blanket, put something comfortable over your eyes, and simply let allow yourself to be. Get out of the way of your breath and simply watch it; after a short time your breathing will naturally become deeper, slower and calmer.
  • *Pranayama can help; Bhramari (Bee Breath) is a very effective Pranayama for use as a sleep aid. Performing this breathing exercise helps to induce a calming effect on the mind almost immediately. But there are other Pranayams that work well, too; Nadi Shodhana helps to balance our prana, bringing it evenly into both nadis (energy channels) spiraling on either side of our Sushumna channel (spine), and bringing our system into a state of equilibrium. Try it for 10 minutes, seated comfortably before retiring for the night.

The above tips are known to significantly improve sleep efficiency, speed up sleep onset, increase total sleep time, and prolong wake time after sleep onset.

Happy sleeping and…